Light-emitting device having light-reflective layer formed with, or/and adjacent to, material that enhances device performance

• US 6,630,786 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2001
• Issued: 10/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Candescent Intellectual Property Services, Inc., Candescent Technologies Corporation (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Cummings, William J., Pei, Shiyou, Pan, Lawrence S., Dunphy, James C., Fahlen, Theodore S., Spindt, Christopher J., Hopple, George B., Stanners, Colin D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Vip
• Assistant Examiner(s): QUARTERMAN, KEVIN J
• Application Number:
  US09/823,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20020190643A1
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 313/553, 313/554, 313/555, 313/495, 313/493, 313/524, 313/103.CM, 313/496
• US Class Current: 313/553
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 11/642 with zinc or cadmium
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 11/7789 Oxysulfides
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 29/085 Anode plates, e.g. for screens of flat panel displays
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 29/94 Selection of substances for gas fillings; Means for obtaining or maintaining the desired pressure within the tube, e.g. by gettering exhausting, degassing, gettering of electric discharge tubes in general H01J9/38
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 31/127 using large area or array sources, i.e. essentially a source for each pixel group

Abstract

A light-emitting device (42, 68, 80, 90, or 100) suitable for a flat-panel CRT display contains a plate (54), a light-emissive region (56), a light-blocking region (58), and a light-reflective layer (60 or 70). The light-emitting device achieves one or more of the following characteristics by suitably implementing the light-reflective layer or/and providing one or more layers (72, 82, 92, and 100) along the light-reflective layer: (a) reduced electron energy loss as electrons pass through the light-reflective layer, (b) gettering along the light-reflective layer, (c) reduced secondary electron emission along the light-reflective layer, (d) reduced electron backscattering along the light-reflective layer, and (e) reduced chemical reactivity along the light-reflective layer.

Claims

1. A structure comprising:

a plate;

a light-emissive region overlying the plate where the plate is generally transmissive of visible light;

a light-blocking region overlying the plate generally lateral to the light-emissive region, the light-blocking region being generally non-transmissive of visible light; and

a light-reflective layer extending over the light-emissive region and comprising non-aluminum metal consisting of at least one of lithium, beryllium, boron, sodium, and magnesium.

2. A structure as in claim 1, wherein the non-aluminum metal consists substantially of beryllium.

3. A structure as in claim 1, wherein the light-reflective layer further includes aluminum.

4. A structure as in claim 3, wherein the non-aluminum metal is alloyed with aluminum in the light-reflective layer.

5. A structure as in claim 4, wherein the non-aluminum metal constitutes 5-95% by mass of the light-reflective layer.

6. A structure as in claim 3, wherein the light-reflective layer comprises:

a first sublayer overlying the light-emissive region and consisting primarily of aluminum; and

a second sublayer overlying the first sublayer and comprising more by mass of the non-aluminum metal than aluminum.

7. A structure as in claim 6 wherein the non-aluminum metal in the second sublayer consists primarily of at least one of beryllium, boron, and magnesium.

8. A structure as in claim 6 wherein the non-aluminum metal in the second sublayer consists substantially of beryllium.

9. A structure as in claim 1 wherein the light-reflective layer also extends over the light-blocking region.

10. A structure as in claim 1 further including an electron-emitting device for emitting electrons which pass through the light-reflective layer and strike the light-emissive region, causing it to emit visible light.

98. A structure as in claim 1 wherein the light-blocking region absorbs visible light.

99. A structure as in claim 1 wherein the light-blocking region substantially laterally surrounds the light-emissive region as viewed perpendicular to the plate.

100. A structure as in claim 1 further including at least one additional light-emissive region overlying the plate where the plate is generally transmissive of visible light, each light-emissive legion spaced laterally apart from each other light-emissive region, the light-blocking region laterally surrounding each light-emissive region as viewed perpendicular to the plate, the light-reflective layer extending above each additional light-emissive region.

11. A structure comprising:

a plate;

a light-emissive region overlying the plate where the plate is generally transmissive of visible light;

a light-blocking region overlying the plate generally lateral to the light-emissive region, the light-blocking region being generally non-transmissive of visible light; and

a light-reflective getting layer extending over the light-emissive region and comprising at least one of magnesium, chromium, manganese, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, palladium, silver, platinum, and lead.

12. A structure as in claim 11 wherein the light-reflective getter layer comprises an alloy of at least two of magnesium, chromium, manganese, cobalt, copper, palladium, silver, and lead.

13. A structure as in claim 11 wherein the light-reflective getter layer also extends over the light-blocking region.

14. A structure as in claim 11 wherein the light-reflective getter layer sorbs sulfur.

15. A structure as in claim 11 further including an electron-emitting device for emitting electrons which pass through the light-reflective layer and strike the light-emissive region, causing it to emit visible light.

101. A structure as in claim 11 wherein the light-blocking region absorbs visible light.

102. A structure as in claim 11 wherein the light-blocking region substantially laterally surrounds the light-emissive region as viewed perpendicular to the plate.

103. A structure as in claim 11 further including at least one additional light-emissive region overlying the plate where the plate is generally transmissive of visible light, each light-emissive region spaced laterally apart from each other light-emissive region, the light-blocking region laterally surrounding each light-emissive region as viewed perpendicular to the plate, the light-reflective layer extending above each additional light-emissive region.

16. A structure comprising:

a plate;

a light-emissive region overlying the plate where the plate is generally transmissive of visible light;

a light-blocking region overlying the plate generally lateral to the light-emissive region, the light-blocking region being generally non-transmissive of visible light;

a light-reflective layer extending over the light-emissive region; and

an overcoat layer overlying the light-reflective layer, providing at least one of (a) lower chemical reactivity than an imaginary native coating of aluminum oxide formed along an imaginary aluminum layer and subjected to electrons which impinge on the native coating with generally the same energies and at generally the same angles as electrons impinge on the overcoat layer from above the structure, (b) lower secondary electron emission per unit area than the native coating, and (c) lower electron backscattering per unit area than the native coating, and comprising at least one of beryllium, boron, magnesium, silicon, chromium, cobalt, germanium, ruthenium, silver, tin, neodymium, iridium, platinum, gold, lead, lithium-aluminum, beryllium-boron, beryllium carbide, beryllium oxide, beryllium-aluminum, boron nitride, boron oxide, boron-magnesium, boron-aluminum, sodium carbide, sodium nitride, sodium oxide, sodium-aluminum, magnesium-aluminum, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, silicon oxide, vanadium oxide, vanadium phosphorus oxide, chromium oxide, copper oxide, molybdenum oxide, silver oxide, cerium oxide, neodymium oxide, and europium oxide.

17. A structure as in claim 16 wherein the overcoat layer comprises chromium.

18. A structure as in claim 16 wherein the overcoat layer comprises chromium oxide.

19. A structure as in claim 16 wherein the overcoat layer provides lower chemical reactivity than the native coating.

20. A structure as in claim 19 wherein the overcoat layer comprises at least one of beryllium, boron, silicon, chromium, cobalt, germanium, ruthenium, silver, tin, iridium, platinum, gold, lead, boron nitride, boron oxide, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, silicon oxide, and chromium oxide.

21. Structure as in claim 19 wherein the overcoat layer comprises at least one of beryllium, boron, silicon, chromium, germanium, silver, tin, gold, lead, boron nitride, boron oxide, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, silicon oxide, and chromium oxide.

22. A structure as in claim 19 wherein the overcoat layer comprises at least one of beryllium, boron, chromium, silver, gold, boron nitride, boron oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxide, and chromium oxide.

23. A structure as in claim 19 wherein the overcoat layer comprises an alloy of one of (a) oxide of chromium and aluminum and (b) oxynitride of at least two of boron, aluminum, silicon, and chromium.

24. A structure as in claim 19 wherein the overcoat layer also provides lower secondary electron emission per unit area than the native coating.

25. A structure as in claim 19 wherein the overcoat layer also provides lower electron backscattering per unit area than the native coating.

26. A structure as in claim 16 wherein the overcoat layer provides lower secondary electron emission per unit area than the native coating.

27. A structure as in claim 26 wherein the overcoat layer comprises at least one of chromium, silver, neodymium, gold, beryllium oxide, vanadium oxide, vanadium phosphorus oxide, chromium oxide, copper oxide, molybdenum oxide, silver oxide, cerium oxide, neodymium oxide, and europium oxide.

28. A structure as in claim 26 wherein the overcoat layer comprises at least one of chromium, silver, gold, beryllium oxide, vanadium oxide, vanadium phosphorus oxide, chromium oxide, silver oxide, cerium oxide, neodymium oxide, and europium oxide.

29. A structure as in claim 26 wherein the overcoat layer comprises at least one of chromium, beryllium oxide, vanadium oxide, chromium oxide, cerium oxide, and neodymium oxide.

30. A structure as in claim 26 wherein the overcoat layer comprises an alloy of oxide of at least two of vanadium, chromium, cerium, and neodymium.

31. A structure as in claim 26 wherein the overcoat layer comprises an alloy of at least two of vanadium, chromium, cerium, and neodymium.

32. A structure as in claim 26 wherein the overcoat layer also provides lower electron backscattering per unit area than the native coating.

33. A structure as in claim 16 wherein the overcoat layer provides lower electron backscattering per unit area than the native coating.

34. A structure as in claim 33 wherein the overcoat layer is of lower average volumetric proton density than the light-reflective layer.

35. A structure as in claim 34 wherein the light-reflective layer comprises aluminum, the overcoat layer comprising at least one of beryllium, boron, magnesium, and a compound of at least one of beryllium, boron, and sodium with at least one of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen.

36. A structure as in claim 33 wherein the overcoat layer comprises at least one of beryllium, boron, magnesium, lithium-aluminum, beryllium-boron, beryllium carbide, beryllium-aluminum, boron nitride, boron oxide, boron-magnesium, boron-aluminum, sodium carbide, sodium nitride, sodium oxide, sodium-aluminum, magnesium-aluminum, and aluminum nitride.

37. A structure as in claim 33 wherein the overcoat layer comprises at least one of beryllium, boron, magnesium, boron nitride, boron oxide, boron-magnesium, and aluminum nitride.

38. A structure as in claim 33 wherein the overcoat layer comprises at least one of boron and boron oxide.

39. A structure as in claim 33 wherein the light-reflective layer comprises aluminum.

40. A structure as in claim 39 wherein the light-reflective layer further includes non-aluminum metal consisting of at least one of lithium, beryllium, boron, sodium, and magnesium.

41. A structure as in claim 39 further including aluminum oxide situated between the light-reflective and overcoat layers.

42. A structure as in claim 16 wherein the overcoat layer extends over the light-emissive region.

43. A structure as in claim 16 wherein the light-reflective layer also extends over the light-blocking region.

44. A structure as in claim 16 further including an electron-emitting device for emitting electrons which pass through the light-reflective layer and strike the light-emissive region, causing it to emit visible light.

104. A structure as in claim 16 wherein the overcoat layer extends above the light-emissive and light-blocking regions.

105. A structure as in claim 16 wherein the overcoat layer extends above the light-blocking region and no more than partially above the light-emissive region.

106. A structure as in claim 16 wherein the light-blocking region absorbs visible light.

107. A structure as in claim 16 wherein the light-blocking region substantially laterally surrounds the light-emissive region as viewed perpendicular to the plate.

108. A structure as in claim 16 further including at least one additional light-emissive region overlying the plate where the plate is generally transmissive of visible light, each light-emissive region spaced laterally apart from each other light-emissive region, the light-blocking region laterally surrounding each light-emissive region as viewed perpendicular to the plate, the light-reflective layer extending above each additional light-emissive region.

45. A structure comprising:

a plate;

a light-emissive region overlying the plate where the plate is generally transmissive of visible light;

a light-blocking region overlying the plate generally lateral to the light-emissive region, the light-blocking region being generally non-transmissive of visible light;

a light-reflective layer extending over the light-emissive region; and

an overcoat layer overlying the light-reflective layer and comprising at least one of beryllium, boron, silicon, chromium, cobalt, germanium, ruthenium, silver, tin, iridium, platinum, gold, lead, boron nitride, boron oxide, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, silicon oxide, and chromium oxide.

109. A structure as in claim 45 wherein the overcoat layer extends above the light-emissive and light-blocking regions.

110. A structure as in claim 45 further including at least one additional light-emissive region overlying the plate where the plate is generally transmissive of visible light, each light-emissive region spaced laterally apart from each other light-emissive region, the light-blocking region laterally surrounding each light-emissive region as viewed perpendicular to the plate, the light-reflective layer extending above each additional light-emissive region.

46. A structure comprising:

a plate;

a light-emissive region overlying the plate where the plate is generally transmissive of visible light;

a light-blocking region overlying the plate generally lateral to the light-emissive region, the light-blocking region being generally non-transmissive of visible light;

a light-reflective layer extending over the light-emissive region; and

an overcoat layer overlying the light-reflective layer and comprising at least one of chromium, silver, neodymium, gold, beryllium oxide, vanadium oxide, vanadium phosphorus oxide, chromium oxide, copper oxide, molybdenum oxide, silver oxide, cerium oxide, neodymium oxide, and europium oxide.

111. A structure as in claim 46 wherein the overcoat layer extends above the light-emissive and light-blocking regions.

112. A structure as in claim 46 further including at least one additional light-emissive region overlying the plate where the plate is generally transmissive of visible light, each light-emissive region spaced laterally apart from each other light-emissive region, the light-blocking region laterally surrounding each light-emissive region as viewed perpendicular to the plate, the light-reflective layer extending above each additional light-emissive region.

47. A structure comprising:

a plate;

a light-emissive region overlying the plate where the plate is generally transmissive of visible light;

a light-blocking region overlying the plate generally lateral to the light-emissive region, the light-blocking region being generally non-transmissive of visible light;

a light-reflective layer extending over the light-emissive region; and

an overcoat layer overlying the light-reflective layer and comprising at least one of beryllium, boron, magnesium, lithium-aluminum, beryllium-boron, beryllium carbide, beryllium-aluminum, boron nitride, boron oxide, boron-magnesium, boron-aluminum, sodium carbide, sodium nitride, sodium oxide, sodium-aluminum, magnesium-aluminum, and aluminum nitride.

113. A structure as in claim 47 wherein the overcoat layer extends above the light-emissive and light-blocking regions.

114. A structure as in claim 47 further including at least one additional light-emissive region overlying the plate where the plate is generally transmissive of visible light, each light-emissive region spaced laterally apart from each other light-emissive region, the light-blocking region laterally surrounding each light-emissive region as viewed perpendicular to the plate, the light-reflective layer extending above each additional light-emissive region.

48. A structure comprising:

a plate;

a light-emissive region overlying the plate where the plate is generally transmissive of visible light;

a light-blocking region overlying the plate generally lateral to the light-emissive region, the light-blocking region being generally non-transmissive of visible light;

a light-reflective layer extending over the light-emissive region;

a lower overcoat layer overlying the light-reflective layer; and

an upper overcoat layer overlying the lower overcoat layer, the two overcoat layers being of different chemical composition, each overcoat layer providing at least one of (a) lower chemical reactivity than an imaginary native coating of aluminum oxide formed along an imaginary aluminum layer and subjected to electrons which impinge on the native coating with generally the same energies and at generally the same angles as electrons impinge on the overcoat layers from above the structure, (b) lower secondary electron emission per unit area than the native coating, and (c) lower electron backscattering per unit area than the native coating.

49. A structure as in claim 48 wherein the lower overcoat layer provides lower electron backscattering per unit area than the native coating.

50. A structure as in claim 49 wherein the lower overcoat layer comprises at least one of beryllium, boron, carbon, magnesium, lithium-aluminum, beryllium-boron, beryllium carbide, beryllium-aluminum, boron nitride, boron oxide, boron-magnesium, boron-aluminum, sodium carbide, sodium nitride, sodium oxide, sodium-aluminum, magnesium-aluminum, aluminum carbide, and aluminum nitride.

51. A structure as in claim 49 wherein the lower overcoat layer comprises at least one of beryllium, boron, carbon, magnesium, boron nitride, boron oxide, boron-magnesium, aluminum carbide, and aluminum nitride.

52. A structure as in claim 49 wherein the lower overcoat layer comprises at least one of boron, carbon, and boron oxide.

53. A structure as in claim 48 wherein a specified one of the overcoat layers provides lower secondary electron emission per unit area than the native coating.

54. A structure as in claim 53 wherein the specified overcoat layer comprises at least one of carbon, chromium, silver, barium, neodymium, gold, beryllium oxide, vanadium oxide, vanadium phosphorus oxide, chromium oxide, copper oxide, molybdenum oxide, silver oxide, cerium oxide, neodymium oxide, and europium oxide.

55. A structure as in claim 53 wherein the specified overcoat layer comprises at least one of carbon, chromium, silver, barium, gold, beryllium oxide, vanadium oxide, vanadium phosphorus oxide, chromium oxide, silver oxide, cerium oxide, neodymium oxide, and europium oxide.

56. A structure as in claim 53 wherein the specified overcoat layer comprises at least one of carbon, chromium, beryllium oxide, vanadium oxide, chromium oxide, cerium oxide, and neodymium oxide.

57. A structure as in claim 48 wherein the upper overcoat layer provides lower chemical reactivity than the native coating.

58. A structure as in claim 57 wherein the upper overcoat layer comprises at least one of beryllium, boron, carbon, silicon, chromium, iron, cobalt, nickel, germanium, niobium, molybdenum, ruthenium, silver, tin, neodymium, iridium, platinum, gold, lead, boron nitride, boron oxide, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, silicon oxide, and chromium oxide.

59. A structure as in claim 57 wherein the upper overcoat layer comprises at least one of beryllium, boron, carbon, silicon, chromium, germanium, silver, tin, gold, lead, boron nitride, boron oxide, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, silicon oxide, and chromium oxide.

60. A structure as in claim 57 wherein the upper overcoat layer comprises at least one of beryllium, boron, carbon, chromium, silver, gold, boron nitride, boron oxide, aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, silicon oxide, and chromium oxide.

61. A structure as in claim 57 wherein the lower overcoat layer provides lower secondary electron emission per unit area than the native coating.

62. A structure as in claim 57 wherein the lower overcoat layer provides lower electron backscattering per unit area than the native coating.

63. A structure as in claim 62 including further an intermediate overcoat layer situated between, and of different chemical composition than, the other two overcoat layers, the intermediate overcoat layer providing lower secondary electron emission per unit area than the native coating.

64. A structure as in claim 57 wherein the lower overcoat layer provides both lower secondary electron emission per unit area than the native coating and lower electron backscattering per unit area than the native coating.

65. A structure as in claim 48 wherein the upper overcoat layer provides both lower chemical reactivity than the native coating and lower secondary electron emission per unit area than the native coating.

66. A structure as in claim 65 wherein the lower overcoat layer provides lower electron backscattering per unit area than the native coating.

67. A structure as in claim 66 wherein the lower overcoat layer also provides lower secondary electron emission per unit area than the native coating.

68. A structure as in claim 48 wherein the upper and lower overcoat layers respectively provide lower secondary electron emission per unit area than the native coating and lower electron backscattering per unit area than the native coating.

69. A structure as in claim 48 wherein the light-reflective layer comprises aluminum.

70. A structure as in claim 69 further including aluminum oxide situated between the light-reflective layer and the lower overcoat layer.

71. A structure as in claim 48 wherein the overcoat layers extend over the light-emissive region.

72. A structure as in claim 48 wherein the light-reflective layer also extends over the light-blocking region.

73. A structure as in claim 48 further including an electron-emitting device for emitting electrons which pass through the light-reflective layer and strike the light-emissive region, causing it to emit visible light.

115. A structure as in claim 48 wherein the overcoat layers extend above the light-emissive and light-blocking regions.

116. A structure as in claim 48 wherein the overcoat layers extend above the light-blocking region and no more than partially above the light-emissive region.

117. A structure as in claim 48 wherein the light-blocking region absorbs visible light.

118. A structure as in claim 48 wherein the light-blocking region substantially laterally surrounds the light-emissive region as viewed perpendicular to the plate.

119. A structure as in claim 48 further including at least one additional light-emissive region overlying the plate where the plate is generally transmissive of visible light, each light-emissive region spaced laterally apart from each other light-emissive region, the light-blocking region laterally surrounding each light-emissive region as viewed perpendicular to the plate, the light-reflective layer extending above each additional light-emissive region.

74. A structure comprising:

a plate;

a light-emissive region overlying the plate where the plate is generally transmissive of visible light;

a light-blocking region overlying the plate generally lateral to the light-emissive region, the light-blocking region being generally non-transmissive of visible light;

a light-reflective layer extending over the light-emissive region; and

an overcoat getter overlying the light-reflective layer and comprising at least one of magnesium, chromium, cobalt, copper, palladium, silver, platinum, lead, and oxide of at least one of magnesium, chromium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, and lead.

75. A structure as in claim 74 wherein the overcoating getter layer comprises an alloy of oxide of at least two of magnesium, chromium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, and lead.

76. A structure as in claim 74 wherein the overcoating getter layer comprises an alloy of at least two of magnesium, chromium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, copper, palladium, silver, and lead.

77. A structure as in claim 74 wherein the overcoating getter layer overlies the light-reflective layer above largely all of the light-emissive region.

78. A structure as in claim 74 wherein the overcoating getter layer sorbs sulfur.

79. A structure as in claim 74 further including an electron-emitting device for emitting electrons which pass through the light-reflective layer and strike the light-emissive region, causing it to emit visible light.

120. A structure as in claim 74 further including at least one additional light-emissive region overlying the plate where the plate is generally transmissive of visible light, each light-emissive region spaced laterally apart from each other light-emissive region, the light-blocking region laterally surrounding each light-emissive region as viewed perpendicular to the plate, the light-reflective layer extending above each additional light-emissive region.

80. A structure comprising:

a plate;

a light-emissive region overlying the plate where the plate is generally transmissive of visible light;

a light-blocking region overlying the plate generally lateral to the light-emissive region, the light-blocking region being generally non-transmissive of visible light;

a light-reflective layer extending over the light-emissive and light-blocking regions; and

an overcoating getter layer overlying the light-reflective layer above the light-blocking region and comprising at least one of magnesium, chromium, cobalt, copper, palladium, silver, platinum, lead, and oxide of at least one of magnesium, chromium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, and lead.

81. A structure as in claim 80 wherein the overcoating getter layer sorbs sulfur.

82. A structure as in claim 80 wherein the overcoating getter layer overlies the light-reflective layer above no more than part of the light-emissive region.

83. A structure as in claim 80 wherein the overcoating getter layer overlies the light-reflective layer above largely all of the light-emissive region.

121. A structure as in claim 80 further including at least one additional light-emissive region overlying the plate where the plate is generally transmissive of visible light, each light-emissive region spaced laterally apart from each other light-emissive region, the light-blocking region laterally surrounding each light-emissive region as viewed perpendicular to the plate, the light-reflective layer extending above each additional light-emissive region.

84. A structure comprising:

a plate;

a light-emissive region overlying the plate;

a light-blocking region overlying the plate generally lateral to the light-emissive region, the light-blocking region being generally non-transmissive of visible light;

an undercoat layer overlying the light-emissive region and being generally transmissive of visible light; and

a light-reflective layer overlying the undercoat layer and extending above the light-emissive region, the undercoat layer more strongly inhibiting the light-reflective layer from undergoing chemical reactions along where it is closest to the undercoat layer than does an imaginary native coating of aluminum oxide formed along an imaginary aluminum layer inhibit the aluminum layer from undergoing chemical reactions along its interface with the native coating.

85. A structure as in claim 84 wherein the undercoat layer more strongly inhibits chemical reactions of the light-reflective layer with oxygen than does the native coating inhibit chemical reactions of the aluminum layer with oxygen.

86. A structure as in claim 84 wherein the undercoat layer comprises at least one of silicon nitride, silicon oxide, magnesium oxide, aluminum nitride, chromium oxide, zirconium oxide, indium oxide, indium tin oxide, and tin oxide.

87. A structure as in claim 84 wherein the undercoat layer comprises at least one of silicon nitride, silicon oxide, aluminum nitride, and chromium oxide.

88. A structure as in claim 84 wherein the light-reflective layer comprises aluminum.

89. A structure as in claim 84 further including an overcoat layer overlying the light-reflective layer above the light-emissive region, the overcoat layer providing at least one of (a) lower chemical reactivity than the native coating as electrons impinge on the native coating with generally the same energies and at generally the same angles as electrons impinge on the overcoat layer, (b) lower secondary electron emission per unit area than the native coating, and (c) lower electron backscattering per unit area than the native coating.

90. A structure as in claim 84 further including an electron-emitting device for emitting electrons which pass through the light-reflective layer and strike the light-emissive region, causing it to emit visible light.

122. A structure as in claim 84 wherein the undercoat layer extends over the light-blocking region.

123. A structure as in claim 84 wherein the light-reflective layer also extends over the light-blocking region.

124. A structure as in claim 84 wherein the light-blocking region absorbs visible light.

125. A structure as in claim 84 wherein the light-blocking region substantially laterally surrounds the light-emissive region as viewed perpendicular to the plate.

126. A structure as in claim 84 further including at least one additional light-emissive region overlying the plate where the plate is generally transmissive of visible light, each light-emissive region spaced laterally apart from each other light-emissive region, the light-blocking region laterally surrounding each light-emissive region as viewed perpendicular to the plate, the light-reflective layer extending above each additional light-emissive region.

91. A structure comprising:

a plate;

a light-emissive region overlying the plate where the plate is generally transmissive of visible light;

a light-blocking region overlying the plate generally lateral to the light-emissive region, the light-blocking region being generally non-transmissive of visible light;

an undercoat layer overlying the light-emissive region, being generally transmissive of visible light, and comprising at least one of silicon nitride, silicon oxide, magnesium oxide, aluminum nitride, aluminum oxide of greater thickness than an imaginary native coating of aluminum oxide formed along an imaginary aluminum layer, chromium oxide, zirconium oxide, indium oxide, indium tin oxide, and tin oxide; and

a light-reflective layer overlying the undercoat layer and extending above the light-emissive region.

127. A structure as in claim 91 further including at least one additional light-emissive region overlying the plate where the plate is generally transmissive of visible light, each light-emissive region spaced laterally apart from each other light-emissive region, the light-blocking region laterally surrounding each light-emissive region as viewed perpendicular to the plate, the light-reflective layer extending above each additional light-emissive region.

92. A structure comprising:

a plate;

a light-emissive region overlying the plate where the plate is generally transmissive of visible light;

a light-blocking region overlying the plate generally lateral to the light-emissive region, the light-blocking region being generally non-transmissive of visible light;

an undercoating getter layer overlying the light-blocking region and comprising at least one of magnesium, chromium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, copper, palladium, silver, platinum, lead, and oxide of at least one of magnesium, chromium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, and lead; and

a light-reflective layer extending over the getter layer above the light-blocking region.

93. A structure as in claim 92 wherein the undercoating getter layer comprises an alloy of oxide of at least two of magnesium, chromium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, and lead.

94. A structure as in claim 92 wherein the undercoating getter layer comprises an alloy of at least two of magnesium, chromium, manganese, cobalt, nickel, copper, palladium, silver, and lead.

95. A structure as in claim 92 wherein the undercoating getter layer sorbs sulfur.

96. A structure as in claim 95 wherein the undercoating getter layer extends above no more than part of the light-emissive region.

97. A structure as in claim 92 further including an electron-emitting device for emitting electrons which pass through the light-reflective layer and strike the light-emissive region, causing it to emit visible light.

128. A structure as in claim 92 further including at least one additional light-emissive region overlying the plate where the plate is generally transmissive of visible light, each light-emissive region spaced laterally apart from each other light-emissive region, the light-blocking region laterally surrounding each light-emissive region as viewed perpendicular to the plate, the light-reflective layer extending above each additional light-emissive region.